Industrial sector of the economy of the Northwest of Russia: Continued adaptation toward sanctions pressure

Russian enterprises continue adapting to changing geopolitical conditions and increased sanctions pressure. The end of the acute phase of the crisis and the process of transformation of logistics and supply chains in the economy of the Northwest of Russia is evidenced by the dynamics of the manufacturing sector. Tracking its work based on expert surveys of representatives of enterprises allows adding another perspective to highlight the subjective problems of its functioning. Expert surveys provide an opportunity to compare official statistics with real assessments of the situation of participants in production activities. The paper presents the dynamics of the main processes taking place at enterprises in the Northwest of Russia, highlights key trends and trends, and determines the reactions of the management of organizations to important external and internal factors. The aim of the work is to establish the consequences of increased sanctions pressure on enterprises in the sector, and to identify the most effective measures, according to respondents, to adapt to the situation of economic uncertainty. The information base of the study was the work of Russian and foreign scientists, Rosstat statistics and data from questionnaires conducted in 202–2025. The questionnaires include questions that make it possible to characterize the main areas of activity of enterprises, to show the presence or absence of transformations in production and distribution chains, to reflect the specifics of investment processes, personnel policy and relations with authorities. The survey participants are experts – managers of large, medium and small enterprises of the macro-region's manufacturing sector, which makes it possible to formulate a number of recommendations for improving its working conditions. The results obtained can be taken into account when making changes to economic policy and appropriate government support measures. The study is of interest to specialists in the field of regional economics and regional authorities in developing programs to stimulate the manufacturing sector of the Northwestern Federal District.